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When asked for an explanation by the Premier League, Everton admitted the wrong doing immediately and co-operated fully. They subsequently launched an internal enquiry of their own. It led to them suspending Martin Waldron, the club’s head of Academy recruitment.

Waldron was the subject of an anonymous letter sent to the Premier League that alleged he approached the boy and his family when he was 11 or 12. Waldron - whose son, Joel, is Everton’s Academy Director - has been at the club for 23 years, having initially been employed as a scout.

Though Everton would not comment on Waldron’s position, it is now likely that he will be sacked. The club issued a statement on Thursday night and made clear their contrition for an episode that means they will not be able to recruit players from the ages 10 to 18.

The club suspended their head of academy recruitment Martin Waldron in September

The statement read: ‘We are extremely disappointed with some of the practices we have found which are not in line with our values and not acceptable to Everton. We have accepted the penalties imposed on us by the Premier League and have given them our strongest apologies.

‘Everton has worked alongside the Premier League over recent weeks to conduct a full and thorough investigation into allegations relating to our Academy’s operational methods in some areas of player recruitment. We commenced a full review of our operations.’

The player who was the subject of the interest is now at Manchester United, having initially been left facing an uncertain future after Everton’s attempt to sign him collapsed. Everton become the third Premier League team to have been found guilty of tapping up after Liverpool and Manchester City.

Their punishment, though, is the most severe. Liverpool and City both had 12 months of their transfer embargo suspended, while their respective fines - £100,000 and £300,000 - were also smaller.